


Parallel

by Anonymous



Category: Ultraman Mebius, ウルトラシリーズ | Ultra Series, ウルトラマンT | Ultraman Taro, ウルトラマンタイガ | Ultraman Taiga
Genre: Angst, M/M, Memories, Mpreg, Romance, Sexy Times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:28:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28760319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Mebius's baby shower brings out memories of Taro's past with Tregear.
Relationships: Ultraman Hikari/Ultraman Mebius, Ultraman Taro/Ultraman Tregear
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13
Collections: Anonymous





	Parallel

Mebius was pregnant; that fact didn't finally settle in Taro until he was at the baby shower.

The observatory auditorium where it was held was a perfect location for the event and just spacious enough for the large amount of guests that gathered in celebration. As decorated as Mebius was in the Inter Galactic Defense Force, a good portion of the attendees were soldiers and commanders, the other half of the crowd belonged in occupational relation to the father of the upcoming child. Awash in mostly blue, the more learned of the ultra race came solely out of respect for their Chief Scientist. Hikari looked both proud and anxious as he shook every congratulatory hand. Mebius on the other hand looked radiant.

Surrounded by fellow comrades and friends, the young ultra felt no shame in showing off his notable bump. His excitement for the little one on its way and his officiation as a parent made him the happiest individual there. In a way, Taro commended his happiness and in another he didn't.

Taro near raised Mebius. He was like a son to him and in all the effort that he put into shaping the hopes and dreams of his future, this wasn't particularly one of them—well, at least not the rearing offspring with Chief of Scientists Hikari part.

Hikari was just that: head of the Science and Technology Bureau. There was a timeframe when he suffered an existential crisis and abandoned his post but other than that Taro's only ever known the ultra through professional means. He had read the reports about the catastrophe on Arb and the whole Hunter Knight Tsurugi ordeal, but he apparently hadn't read further between the documented lines where Mebius and he became intimate. No, there wasn't code or law stating they couldn't form romantic relations, but in Taro's mind he just couldn't bring himself to approve of the relationship.

Taro didn't have any bias or vendetta against Hikari or anything but the substantial age gap between him and Mebius was _substantial_. Why, when Taro was just an infant Hikari was already an established figure and made many great contributions to the Land of Light long before the likes of Mebius was even conceived. In fact, Mebius was still barely an adult himself and now he's going to be a mother? Taro's head just wouldn't stop spinning.

Of course if his issue was in regards to age then there were scores of individuals who would point out the 20,000 year gap between his parents, though Taro's combat to that comparison ended with the reminder that his parents had both been well over 100,000 years before they married, and before they had him. Mebius had many millenniums ahead of him, but now he's gone off and shackled himself to Hikari and to the child he was carrying. Taro's reservation for these actions remained unspoken and he, himself, carried on in a respectful manner. After all, this event wasn't about Taro's obvious dejections but about Mebius and the new life he was giving to the Land of Light.

When the party began dying down and well-known associates bid the happy couple farewells, the post cleanup began, and unfortunately it fell within the duties of the hosts.

Taro had been among the last few to depart and even when his entourage turned to leave he found a reason to stay. Watching Mebius break down stands and fasten away refreshments while smiling at all his exiting guests pulled Taro closer to his side.

"You're not going to be doing this all by yourself are you?" Taro's questioning eyes scanned the room in search for the boy's supposed partner and felt a trickle of heat when he hadn't spotted the scientist. Mebius was expecting; Hikari shouldn't be leaving him with all of the menial labor.

"Oh, Hikari's finishing up in the kitchen. He's still with a few of his coworkers so I thought I'd leave them be for a little while." As soon as Mebius moved to drag the tables back into their usual positions, Taro instead grabbed hold of their surfaces.

"Let me." In Taro's insistence Mebius looked confused, but that emotion washed away when he stood back up and squared his shoulders.

"Thanks, but I really am fine, Taro." His gentle smile and kind voice always garnered every bit of Taro’s attention. "Getting pregnant didn't take away my strength."

"I know." Taro still carried on in moving the tables by himself. Mebius stood near, watching him as if trying to figure him out. It wasn't hard to see Taro's emotions and intentions. After all, he didn't have anything to hide from the boy. "This is your first, Mebius, you've got to remember that even though there's things you can still do, there are many more that you just can't. I know I've always told you to think for yourself but this time you can't do that, not when there's two of you."

Mebius held his silence and listened to his old master. Subconsciously his hand slid down to his abdomen, rubbing over the slight swell. Despite Taro’s worrisome caution he never stopped smiling.

"Was this what you were like when your mate was expecting Taiga?" The soft glow in Mebius's eyes shinned knowingly. In his assumption, he was right.

Even to this day Taro can remember the confused look on Tregear's face when he came and met him at the Science and Technology Bureau institute right when he was getting off work.

_"Taro?" Tregear's blue eyes flashed at seeing Taro standing just outside. "What are you doing here? The garrison doesn't let out for another three hours."_

_Taro nodded as he stepped closer. "I know, but I asked if I could get leave early on account of your condition and all."_

_"My condition?" The confusion eventually faded away and Tregear shifted and crossed his arms. "Is that what this is? Taro, I'm not even halfway through the first trimester."_

_"That doesn't mean you shouldn't take things easy."_

_"Easy? Wha—I . . . I'm perfectly capable of flying home on my own." Though his rising annoyance was obvious, Tregear was smiling, like he wanted to laugh at Taro's intentions, and in every endearing way._

_"I know, but I wanted to be here for you." Taro pressed closer. Tregear let him wrap his arms around him._

_Another snicker and the blue ultra was melting into Taro's embrace. It never took much._

_"This is going to become a common occurrence, isn't it?" Shifting further into those red arms, Tregear accepted his capture._

_"What, you don't want me picking you up every day after work?"_

_"I never said that, now did I?"_

_They flew off together, weaving in and around buildings as they navigated their way home. Traffic was congested in some areas with minor collision squabbles there and the usual slow pacing family of five here. Taro flew so close he was nearly constantly touching Tregear. Whether this annoyed the blue ultra or not was never confirmed. Tregear even let him take his hand and tug him off course._

_"Where are we going?" Tregear prodded for the answer but Taro only smiled at him and pulled him along._

_He took him to a park that they frequented before. Large and well traversed, it was a popular location, but being that it was so late in the day most of its traffic had fallen away. It was calm and quiet, especially at the outcropping where Taro took Tregear. And there they sat on a spread blanket with a crate of food and drink provided by none other than Taro._

_"Eat up." Taro immediately filled Tregear's lap with his favorite foods. His over eagerness took some time spurring Tregear’s spirit to react the same so when he noticed his seemingly disinterest in all the things he provided, worry shined in his eyes. "What's wrong?"_

_That's when Tregear let out a laugh._ _“You know, I really wonder just who you’re trying to care for.”_

_Taro sat there for a moment, trying to decipher Tregear’s teasingly cryptic statement. “What’s that mean?” A flush later and he leaned forward, worried his intentions might have come off wrong. “I’m not doing this just because you’re pregnant. I really want to do this for you just as much as for them.” Eyes fell down toward Tregear’s abdomen. There still wasn’t much change to it, but by now they both knew what differences were happening in the most hidden places. It must have been those thoughts that moved Taro’s hand forward until it settled over Tregear’s stomach. The blue ultra snickered at the touch but didn’t push him away._

_“Sure you are.” Blue eyes looked over Taro’s hand and his body took in his gentle touch. "You really are excited for this, aren't you?"_

_Taro couldn't turn his eyes away. His palm rubbed over Tregear's smooth stomach, noting each muscle that twitched, imagining as if it was his child pushing back against his him. "Of course I am. I've always dreamed of being a father. Right now, I'm the happiest ultra on the planet and it's all thanks to you." His gaze shimmered with excitement when he looked back at Tregear. Those soft blue eyes of his were watching him with a gleam of curiosity, but that light changed during Taro's exclamation. A flush then rippled through Tregear's features. "Aren't you just as happy?"_

_There wasn't an immediate response, at least not in the verbal sense. Instead Taro felt a hand clasp over his. Then Tregear said, "If you're happy, then so am I."_

The memory of it all made Taro’s heart tender, just as it was when it thought of Mebius. When he looked at him.

"Mebius, are you happy?" The young ultra looked at Taro with a confused light in his eyes as to the point of said question but he responded regardless.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"No, I mean . . ." Straightening, Taro laid his hands on his old apprentice's shoulders. Mebius was warm and the thrum of the new life inside him rippled through Taro's palms. "With all of this. With him." Taro glanced back toward the kitchen in nods to Mebius' lover and then let his hands fall. Mebius didn't protest when they fell over his tender round. "With . . ." When Mebius grasped his feeling hands his grip was as tight as it was sure.

"Yes." Mebius’s smile persisted. There was love in his features, especially in the soft glow of his gaze. "I am. And I was hoping that you'd be happy for me in return."

That look of approval was all too familiar and it brought Taro back momentarily to the days he trained that young energetic ultra. But there he stood before him, still just as young, though now diving into roles Taro hadn't expected he'd want to throw himself into. It was wrong to lie, so Taro didn't say much and instead departed politely and on friendly terms.

Taro’s desire to remain involved with Mebius’s progression hadn’t lessened. Now more than ever he diligently sought to place himself in the boy’s life as a dear friend than old mentor. As grateful as Mebius was this unfortunately allowed Taro more fuel to stoke dissent between he and Hikari. Prolonged visitations and supplement accompaniment clarified proof of the scientist’s lack of presence.

Mebius’s excuse, as well as many of Taro’s brothers, was the reminder of Hikari’s projects. It wasn’t that Taro didn’t understand Hikari's position and its demanding responsibilities, what little leave he was able to procure was sympathized by all save for Taro. Hikari was a father-to-be with a very young mate who was no newer to this experience than he was. Where Hikari was in no way physically inhibited to pull himself away from his work, Mebius’s condition forced him to take leave of the Ultra Guard, and with that that meant he was home often and in that often he was alone. At least that’s what Taro noticed during most of his visits.

There may have been instances where his assumption of a negligent Hikari was misplaced, but as of right then his anger surged against him and this time no one was there to stop him from marching into the labs, straight to Hikari’s office for a much overdue confrontation.

It wasn’t hard to find Hikari’s office. His high ranking position awarded him one of the finest floors on the highest level near the top of the building. Of course all of that esteem wouldn’t stop Taro from barging in. What did prematurely halt his siege was when he realized the ultra had company.

"Please, Hikari." That was Mebius.

The crystalline structure of the office walls only blurred the persons inside but their watered colors persisted, mingling their red and blue shades with the texture of the divider. And muffled voices were easy to denote.

“No.” That was Hikari.

Taro could see the scientist standing just a little ways away from the redder silhouette. He looked to be putting something away on a corner shelf just as Mebius looked to be propping himself up on what appeared to be Hikari’s central desk.

“What? Why not?” Mebius was leaning forward, his body swaying in the direction Hikari was moving.

“Why not?” At least Hikari was looking at him now. Though expressions were impossible to make out, the emotions in their words weren’t. “Look at you.”

There was a giggle that bubbled up from Mebius’s position. “I know, look at me: sitting on your desk, feeling so lonely.” The teasing indication didn’t register in Taro’s mind until he noticed the way Hikari’s posture stiffened. He was looking at Mebius, clearly irate from previous dejection but clearly interested by his focused attention.

“Mebius . . .” Perhaps Hikari was going to try another round of trying to dissuade the young ultra, but Mebius came off strong and relenting

“Hikari.” He was leaning forward more, watching the way the scientist moved as he attempted to busy himself with finishing his project.

Hikari might have tried to resist. He might have tried to cling to his duties as he neared the cabinets next to his desk, but he ventured too close to Mebius and when the young red ultra hooked him with his legs and pulled him close, it was only a matter of time before even so valiant a resolve diminished.

“Please.” Mebius’s tone was softer, more sensual, and with the way his hips subtly moved there was no mistaking his intentions. “I want to feel more than just the baby inside me.” He was using the stability of the desk to lean against, pushing off its surface to bend closer toward Hikari. He was running his mouth along the blue ultra’s chest, purposely nicking each star mark with his teeth. His gyrating hips persisted and his wound legs clung until Hikari’s hands finally reached down to touch them and caress them.

“We shouldn’t.” Hikari sounded strained, his voice low but tone trembling. Mebius’s ministrations tormented him in such good ways. “The baby . . .”

“Will be fine.” Mebius was leaning up, his hands cupping Hikari’s face. The way he rolled his hips intensified, and when he finally got Hikari to buck against him he let out a delighted moan. “But I won’t be if you don’t hurry up and kiss me.”

Demanding hands dragged the scientist toward his lover. Hikari’s previous reservations and protests dwindled away. He was holding Mebius, kissing him just as hotly as he was kissing him. Their bodies moved in unison, finding that delightful friction they needed.

By the time Hikari’s fingers were inside Mebius the boy was a trembling mess and once muffled sounds grew louder and louder while his body eagerly opened up for his lover and all the attention he was giving. It made Taro furiously blush. His embarrassment in walking in on this only heightened when he found himself temporarily paralyzed from the shock of it all.

Though in his embarrassment, Taro was brought back to a time where he had been in a very similar situation.

_“Please, Taro.” Tregear was straddling him, looking down at Taro with vibrant eyes full of intention and lust. It wasn’t necessarily a sight he didn’t enjoy waking up to, but with the state of things lately it was just something Taro hadn’t expected, especially with Tregear’s current condition._

_Now into the later trimesters, the doctors informed the both of them that what remained of the pregnancy was last stage growth and heightened discomfort. Taro did his best to balance his duties in the garrison as well as his responsibilities to his mate, ensuring that Tregear held on to what depleting sliver of comfort he could. So Taro cooked their meals, Taro completed the chores around their home, Taro guided Tregear back and forth from work, and as for sex, Taro made sure to give Tregear space._

_But there Tregear was; wanting just that._

_With a roll of his hips, Taro could feel Tregear’s warm soft slickness press flush against his pelvis. It made him gasp, eyes flickering while his hands reached down to clutch the sheets below. Tregear’s prominent round made him heavier seated atop Taro, but it didn’t at all discourage the blue ultra from seeking further release._

_“Tregear.” Taro gasped again when his mate rolled his hips, trying to entice him to join._

_“Taro.” Tregear leaned forward, pressing himself down against Taro’s chest as he laid kisses along his neck and torso. As soon as his warm tongue wound around his crystal, Taro’s trembling body jolted. Strong arms took care to wind around Tregear and pull him away._

_“No, we can’t.” Taro’s eyes flashed down toward Tregear’s swell. One hand fell down to lay over the stiff skin. “The baby . . .”_

_“Will be fine,” Tregear protested, taking Taro’s hand and moving it away. He pulled both of Taro’s red hands toward his mouth and kissed every knuckle and callous. “Don’t you miss this, don’t you miss me?”_

_Taro shuttered from Tregear’s ministrations and stiffened by the way he thrust his hips against his. Of course he missed their intimacy, but by this point in the pregnancy it was clear Tregear would only suffer from the aches of his strained body. So Taro relented his caresses and kisses, for the baby and especially for the mother._

_His further silence moved Tregear to push Taro’s hands against the bed. He was over him, his head swaying over Taro’s. Coming down he kissed him. The kiss was too short and when Tregear’s mouth moved on he laid down his fluttering lips across Taro’s jaw and then his neck and then his collar._

_“Don’t make me make you.” Tregear’s warmth moved away and before Taro’s body could mourn its loss he felt his mate shift between his legs, taking his thighs in hand and parting them._

_As Taro looked down he watched Tregear hover over his crotch. Not yet exposed, it was obvious why Tregear was between his legs. His blue hands knew him well and as soon as he began rubbing in certain spots, Taro’s shuddering body had no other choice but to release his cock._

_Red and proud, Tregear took the erect organ in hand and wasted no more time. The moment he came down on it and stuffed what he could into his mouth he received his first buck from Taro. From there Tregear worked to stimulate Taro enough to forget about denying him._

_“Nuuh, oh!” Taro’s eyes were bright, his hands clutched the sheets of their bed, nearly tearing. He could feel the way Tregear’s tongue wiggled each time he bobbed up, and the way his throat opened to him when he bobbed down made Taro weak in the knees. Tregear was so good at sucking, while Taro’s popularity and familial status garnered him lots of attention in the form of many lovers, none of_ _them ever took head as good as Tregear. The blue ultra was long his dear friend before he became his lover and even then Taro wasn't quite certain as to the list of Tregear's partners or if he had any at all, but he assumed he must have with the way he was able to please him so skillfully well._

_Tregear didn't just tease and rile Taro's cock in the way he sucked and swallowed and rubbed, he worshipped it. Taro couldn't explain it any other way than that. Tregear never choked on him, never once left Taro wanting, and always brought him to release in quick time._

_He could feel his orgasm building now, approaching the point where he wouldn’t have the ability to hold off, and Taro was left simply powerless. His hands strangling the sheets released the moment he felt Tregear slide his fingers down from the base of his cock and rub his tender core. Reaching out, Taro’s strong hands clung to Tregear’s head, following him as he moved up and down while his fingers wiggled and inevitably penetrated him._

_Hips bucked, moving the way Tregear had previously wanted. As they pushed further into the blue ultra’s eager mouth, their descending roll served to grind against the hand working into Taro's slicking core. Tregear rubbed Taro's tight muscles perfectly and added new pleasure to what he was already receiving from his mouth._

_"T-Tre . . . gear . . ." Taro's eyes were glowing and his fingers curled into his lover’s cheeks the very moment he pushed him over the edge. His orgasm ignited his body with pure pleasure and energy. The heat from his body was already threatening but now it burst out into the room like hot steam, and Tregear swallowed every scorching drop._

_Never ceasing movement, Tregear continued to bob his head until Taro's trembling gasp fell away, until his pulsing orgasm sputtered out, until he took in every bit of the red ultra's boiling ejaculation. Taro only lay there near motionless while Tregear pulled his mouth away and caressed his thighs affectionately. He slipped his fingers out of him with tempting moist sounds and in Taro's daze he hadn't realized Tregear moved until he was straddling him again, looking down at him with intense eyes._

_"Taro." His voice carried over in a heady whisper. He was rolling his hips, purposely driving his own slick core across Taro's flaccid cock to entice him again._

_Watching Tregear do this, seated atop him with a mixture of semen and saliva dripping down his chin heated Taro's blood. And then when Tregear pressed his own fingers into himself, the ones still slick with Taro's bodily juices, the red Ultra couldn't find any more reason to resist._

_"Yes!" Tregear threw his head back with a moan as soon as Taro's reinvigorated cock slid into him. He ground his hips harshly against Taro's pelvis as if to ensure he had every inch inside him. And when Taro's strong hands laid over his thighs he began to bounce._

_Blazing tightness wrapped around Taro and he saw galaxies. So very similar to his mouth, Tregear's core enveloped Taro's cock and dragged him deeper, caressing the length with reverent fluttering muscles and providing as much moist lubrication as needed to pace earnestly. His hands kneaded the body beneath him before his arms stiffened to brace his weight, gripping well defined pectorals as he did. And those eyes of his, Tregear’s eyes were clouded with passion but they were bright and they looked at Taro and Taro alone._

_What a vision Tregear was; with moist lips parted in rising ecstasy, rolling hips never missing a beat, rocking his entire body across Taro's meeting pelvis, and that swollen abdomen, Taro took in the way Tregear's skin stretched and fluttered with movement from inside, their little one was shifting, no doubt already awake from the jostle its parents were creating. Taro really couldn't help himself as he reached one hand up and laid it over the protruding round. He felt his child press against him and in that same moment Tregear tightened around his girth, reminding him of all the satisfying feelings he enticed him with to bring them both to this point._

_The image and sheer feel of his mate rattled Taro from the inside out. Tregear was his; his to hold and kiss and fuck. Right now the blue ultra was swollen, full with his child. It was Taro's seed that took root and claimed Tregear's fertile womb and it will be Taro's cock that Tregear's core will keep tight for eternity to come._

_"Oh! Oh, Taro! I can feel the way you throb, oh, how you twitch and swell, oh!" Tregear arched, grinding his hips down while one arm supported his weight and the other reached down to grip the red ultra's hand atop his belly. "I'm so close, so close! Bring me there, Taro, please!"_

_With the fire burning in his gut, Taro rocked forward, enveloping Tregear in his arms and flipped them over. He pressed his mate into the cushions and sheets and angled his hips for better movement and deeper penetration. Only when Taro moved like this could they find euphoria together._

_Tregear's bright blue eyes flickered and his lips trembled while his body rocked to Taro's thrusts. His voice was lost for only a short moment before it all caught up with him in an exploding moment of bliss. His tightening muscles and heavy flow of juices announced his end as well as brought Taro to his._

_Taro ended it all with a burning sloppy kiss, melting Tregear further into his embrace. The blue ultra's arms hooked around Taro's shoulders, never releasing even as movement halted and the last ripples of pleasure fluctuated through their bodies. Foreheads pressed together and the glow of eyes met and mingled. Tregear smiled up at Taro and Taro grinned back._

_When Taro made to pull out and away the sudden tightening of muscles gripped his cock and legs once lain splayed to the sides now rose up and encircled his waist._

_"Where are you going?" Tregear sounded exhausted and strained, but immensely pleased. Even his arms clung tight to Taro's frame. "I'm not done with you." He huffed, shifting his weight as if he was trying to find a more comfortable position, but as far along as he was in the pregnancy that was an ongoing struggle. "So long as you're not done with me."_

_Needy eyes shined up at Taro and even in Tregear's discomfort he sought him out, hoping that he could please him just as much as Taro pleased him in return._

_With a tender smile, Taro leaned down and kissed him, fulfilling every desire he had that evening and all the ones after._

As his memory faded, his current embarrassment collided right back into him. Taro quickly made his way out of the office, off the floor and completely out of the building. He even went as far to move himself halfway across the city as if his distance just wasn't enough to give the couple their privacy. His long-awaited lecture he had compiled for the likes of Hikari would have to be postponed . . . again.

Perhaps it was the enticement that came with Mebius's spread legs, or maybe the conviction of his state, but Taro did happen to see Hikari around more often now. While still in the depths of vital projects, the blue ultra was taking a majority of his work home, which was a nice change. It meant that he could be more attentive to his young mate as well as be present when the time came for the birth.

Funny enough, Taro was a nervous wreck when Mebius went into labor. He immediately took leave from the coliseum the moment he was informed and headed straight to the hospital. He had actually arrived around the same time Hikari did and ironically enough the both of them looked a flustered mess which encouraged Mebius to laugh even in his time of pain.

Taro's mother did what she could to coddle every stressed nerve and strained muscle. Of course Taro was grateful for it, but he knew Mebius was a strong boy. He's proved himself just that over and over. This would be no different.

Mebius's son came out loud and blue, all save for his little red fingers and toes.

Right then Taro saw the depths of his old student's love. There was power in the affection of partners but that strength dwarfed in comparison to depths a mother felt for their child. It’s what pulled Mebius to cradle the babe close to his chest and it’s what made him cry.

Hikari was right there beside him, winding his arms around both mother and child and tenderly rubbing Mebius’s quivering features. He was happy, they both were.

"Congratulations." Mebius looked up at Taro with still so soft eyes while Hikari nodded his thanks. "What are you going to name him?"

When Mebius looked toward Hikari and when the blue ultra smiled and nudged their foreheads together, Mebius then turned back to his old mentor and said, "Actually we wanted to ask if you would name him."

Taro paused. The couple looked at him expectantly, especially Mebius. They wanted him to name the child? If he did that then that would title him as the godfather. They wanted that?

"Me?" Taro looked back at the child who finally settled down against his mother's breast. He’d been there for most of Mebius’s pregnancy and had practically seen the infant develop. Seeing him there, laying against his mother so whole and quiet tenderized Taro’s heart all the more. He wanted to hold him and when his arms reached out to plead for just that, Mebius eagerly shifted and laid the small ultra in his arms.

He was quiet as Taro held him. That was good, it meant he was a complacent soul. And his eyes, so small and young, looked up at Taro with exciting curiosity. It all brought Taro back to the moment he first held his own child.

_He was crying, utterly sobbing as he held his son in his arms. His son. Taro was a father, he had a son._

_"He's perfect. Tregear, just look at him." Flickering eyes turned back toward where the blue ultra lay. Surrounded by replenishing lights, Tregear took care to remain reclined after the long tedious birthing. And though worn from the entire ordeal he remained quiet, always observing, especially now that Taro was the one harboring the child and not him. "Look at his eyes, his fin. Look at his horns." Taro chuckled and his arms tightened. There was no way he could let go of this boy. Absolutely no way, and if anyone dared try to bring harm to him then Taro would damn well burn the entire universe to a crisp._

_"He looks a lot like you."_

_Taro turned toward Tregear as he spoke. He was always so composed, always the one with a calmer demeanor. And there was a look in his eyes, an expression of anticipation as if he was waiting, anxious, hoping that Taro would approve of the product of his body. He could see how his fingers twisted together and his chest heaved. In reaction Taro leaned in closer and wrapped an arm around him to tug him in and lay a large kiss across his lips._

_"Thank you." Taro watched Tregear look at him and as if he finally saw Taro's approving happiness he smiled in return as well as leaned forward again for another kiss._

Mebius's boy weighed near exactly the same as Taiga did when he was born and that feeling in his arms tugged at Taro's heart now just as it did then. Yes, he wanted to be a father, a godfather.

"Saphiro." Taro nodded toward Hikari. "He definitely takes after you, but his eyes . . ." Taro smiled when he looked back at the child still looking up at him. "Those are Mebius’s eyes." Swaying back and forth, Taro relished in the moment of simply holding the new life. "I remember those same eyes looking up at me. Such bright eyes with a shining soul." He looked at Mebius. He really still was that young cadet ready to travel the galaxies and protect oppressed alien races. Even if Mebius was over 100,000 years Taro didn’t believe he would change much at all. And he was glad for that. "You did good, Mebius. I'm honored to be your son's godfather."

Taiga was ecstatic when he finally got to hold Saphiro. In fact he hardly put him down and proclaimed himself the boy's uncle. Like any young ultra, Mebius's son attracted scores of attention from the masses, getting anything from toys to treats to extra cuddles wasn't hard for the infant. Of course these precious and endearing times were only shared so much before the babe's parents had to really work on rearing him.

They had tried to balance responsibilities, Hikari and Mebius really did, but due to rank and the roles they took in Saphiro's birth it was inevitably Mebius who was stuck tending to the child and therefore absent among the Ultra Force. No one missed his presence more than Taro and when he could stand it no more he decided to take some time to go pay the boy a visit.

"Taro?" Mebius tried as much as he could to show excitement over the sudden visitation, but his blatant weariness didn't give him much energy to express said thrill. "What brings you here?"

"I came by to check on you. Is this a bad time?" Taro frowned at the state of Mebius. While no one was to blame other than the fact of the non-resting stage of parenthood, Taro still empathized with him.

"Hm? Oh, no, no. I actually just put Saphiro down. Come in, co—" The sudden sound of a fussy infant echoed from inside the home and Taro stood as witness to watch Mebius's spirit completely drop while his body sagged in disappointment.

As soon as Mebius turned to twist himself back into the home Taro reached out to take hold of his shoulder. "How long's it been since _you_ got put down?"

Mebius sighed, leaning against the archway. "How old is Saphiro again?" He snickered at his jest but all humor died as the cries grew louder. "I better go get him."

"Allow me." Mebius didn't argue when Taro pushed his way past him and into the home. He simply followed while Taro moved into the nursery and looked down at the wiggling infant in the crib. As soon as he set his eyes on Taro his lips puckered into the biggest pout and his arms rose up with needy grabs.

Taro smiled. "Is that all you want? Alright." He didn't pick him up and that was probably why he was still fussing, but Taro let Saphiro hold his hand as he stood next to the crib and would give him no more until he relaxed.

Eventually, the little blue one settled back into a fitful sleep with one hand grasping Taro's fingers and the other nuzzled against his suckling mouth. Mebius breathed a sigh of relief, slinking down onto the resting couch in the corner with all his weight.

"Looks like I didn't learn everything from you. I think I may have to become your student again if I can't get this right." Mebius chuckled, eyes dim while he watched Taro stand at his son's crib like a diligent sentinel. He never relented his hand from the child.

"You'll be fine." Taro sighed, looking at the tired mother and then the tired child. They both needed rest. "It just takes time. But you've got to take care of yourself too."

Mebius sighed. "It's not easy. Hikari's been working so much and Saphiro, well, he just doesn't slow down. Not that I want him to, but . . ."

"I'm here, Mebius. If I can give you a little time then that's enough." Not long after Taro's reassurance the young ultra warrior dozed off. There wasn't much commotion from Saphiro either, of course after half an hour in the little one stirred and tried his darnedest to fuss for further attention from either present adult. Taro made sure he wouldn’t rouse Mebius.

With a sigh, Taro had no other choice but to pick him up.

"Listen here, you, you're going to have to be good. You're mother's resting and we're going to make sure he gets enough time to do just that. He works hard to make sure you've got everything you need. Since your papa's not here he's all there is so those demanding whines need to stop, at least for right now, alright?"

Little amber eyes looked up at Taro as if trying to decipher the words he was saying. At least the boy was quiet for now. Seeing Mebius completely slumped over the couch unconscious should have brought relief to Taro, but the situation only served to remind him of the woes of a troubled past.

Taro wanted to do what he could to help Mebius. He had never mothered a child but he knew the struggles of handling such responsibilities and the casualties that it could inflict if not careful.

_Being a new father did not entail the right to be with said child when one had duties to the Ultra Force. Even though Taro's father was the supreme commander he received no favor in being able to pull himself away from patrols and the mission roster. This unfortunately kept him away from home often, and while he took his job with all manners of seriousness and worked and fought to keep the peace of the universe, he wanted to go home, he wanted to see his little boy and Tregear._

_When leave was finally granted Taro never argued against it, even if the span of it didn't amount to more than a few weeks before he'd be called back, instead he raced back to the planet passing by even dear friends so that the first faces that he greeted were that of his mate and child._

_"Tregear, I'm back!" Taro's excitement echoed down the hall as he walked through the door, but so did another sound: his son's cries._

_As he carried on down the hall and passed into the foyer, there was no sudden cease. Taiga continued to cry to the point he sounded exhausted. Worry coiled tight within him and rising panic began to move him quicker into his small home._

_Heart hammering and fists clenched, Taro slid into the living room and halted. He found Taiga, he was laying on a blanket wiggling and wailing. And Tregear was there too, seated on the couch beside him, looking down at the infant’s distress and doing nothing._

_"Tregear? What are you doing!?" The blue ultra hadn't even taken his gaze away from Taiga's distraught. Even as Taro moved to take up the child, Tregear stayed the same._

_In his arms, Taiga barely moved. He trembled though, as did his cries that began to die as the little one rubbed his face into his father’s chest. The possibility of just how long Taiga had been crying for attention frightened Taro as much as Tregear’s state did._

_That fright had Taro looking back at his mate. Never before had Taro's trust been shaken but what he came in to unsettled him, especially as saw that void expression in Tregear's eyes. He was looking at him now, at Taro and at the slowly calming child in his arms—his child, the one he openly neglected. Unmoving and silent, Taro could take it no more._

_He took both to the Silver Cross. There, under the care of attentive nurses and diligent healers, Taiga was lulled into a rest while he was tested for deficiencies. The poor child was so exhausted that he barely was able to take in any corrective supplements, but with the aid of Mother of Ultra he recovered quickly. As for Tregear he was put in a florescent room and monitored. His diagnosis revealed no ailments save for slight taxation, but he was in one piece—aside from his mind._

_"What happened?" Taro lingered in the nursery ward, in the room where Taiga was kept under the watchful eye of his grandmother. Turning his gaze away from his sleeping son, Taro looked to his mother, silently begging for the answers he couldn’t find._

_Mother of Ultra sighed. There was pity in her eyes as well as something foreboding and ominous. It darkened her features just enough to grow further worry inside Taro. "I'm not sure,” she said, “Outwardly he is fine, but internally . . . there’s something that’s troubling him and whatever it is it’s affecting his spirit. He’s tired, Taro. With everything that’s happened with Hikari and bureau pressure his persona’s in shambles, though I wonder if it hadn’t already been that way for some time. I wish I could do more but I’m afraid my abilities aren’t as absolute as we both wish they were.”_

_For the first time since he could remember, Taro was frightened. There wasn't much his mother couldn't fix, but to hear her say this; it downright petrified him._

_When he entered Tregear's room it was quiet. Even the observing nurses didn't make a sound as they looked at him. Instead he turned away from them and toward the blue ultra seated upright in the bed beside the window._

_"You're here because you want to know why, right? Why I did what I did, or . . . didn't do." Tregear hadn't moved from his position. He didn't even look at Taro as he entered the room, only ever kept his wandering gaze outside where ultras flew overhead and crystal towers gleamed in pride. The plasma spark shined on, coating the land and its people in vibrant hues, but even in its lustrous sheen Tregear's eyes remained dull and disinterested to all its majesty. "I'm not really sure myself . . ." His eyes fell away down to his lap where his fingers fiddled together. "But I often wonder what it'd be like if things weren't the way they were, if we would all still be here doing what we do regardless." His shoulders rolled slightly before slouching. His body still showed signs of fatigue, but his mind . . . "They call us people of the light, of course they would, what else would we be in a world where night doesn't exist? And we make sure it stays that way, don't we? Anything else is perceived as wrong and damaging so we take that fight to other worlds and galaxies. We want them to be like us: blinded in bright rays while their enemies that were naturally born in their shadows wither away, because that’s what’s right. Right? No, it’s because we can't understand them, and we don't want to." Those troubled eyes finally looked at Taro and took him in. "That's what you do, right, Taro? You fight the monsters because they're not like us. Taiga, he's so much like you and I know he'll join you one day. But where do I stand? Have I too contributed to this warped sense of justification by birthing him? There's already so many of us and we teach nothing but one way, a way that's old and outdated and sworn in by fear and ignorance. I don't want to be a part of that, I—" It was only when Taro moved closer and wrapped his arms around the blue ultra that his rambles came to a halt, and the trembling quakes all over his body stiffened before finally relaxing._

_"Peace." Taro rubbed his face against Tregear's neck, against his jaw and cheek. "I haven't come to condemn you. I came to do this." His arms tightened to emphasize his point._

_With a gentle voice and softer touches, Taro situated himself better on the bed and moved Tregear deeper into his embrace. Blue eyes looked at him, searching for things that plagued his mind. Taro didn't have anything to hide from Tregear, only things to show him._

_"I've trained so hard and fought in countless battles, faced death on more than one occasion. As terrifying and straining as that all is I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. Not because I refuse to understand the reasons for darkness and its kind, but because I know how much it hates us all and in that hate it always seeks to destroy. I can't let it because I love my world too much, especially the people who live there. I love you and Taiga more than anything in the thousands of universes out there. You're the reason I fight, not our doctrine. And I . . . I'm sorry if my absence has made you question that."_

_"Taro." Fingers curled against his chest. Taro could feel Tregear's hands shaking. It only made him hold him tighter._

_"If you want to give up on the light, fine, but don't give up on me." Taro looked at Tregear and he in return. Feeling his mate's arms wrap around him and squeeze him desperately turned Taro's heart and from then on he was with Tregear._

_Taro requested an inland position no matter how mundane and in Father of Ultra's pity it was granted. Taro was still young, still viable with promise of heroic escapades amongst a million civilizations, but he was also promised to his family, one that needed him now more than ever._

_Tregear had yet to be released, but that was fine. He remained at the Silver Cross and submitted himself to Mother of Ultra’s cycling cleanses. Though these sessions succeeded in refreshing his body his mind still clung to a dark cloud that no medicinal treatment could whisk away. But it was only ever present when he was alone. When Taro visited it cleared like paragia storms and that light that comprised the young scientist would gleam just a little brighter._

_His parents resolved to watch Taiga while Taro often spent his afternoons and evenings with Tregear. Aside from the always present nurses it really was just the two of them. Sometimes they would sit side by side and speak of meaningless things, sometimes Taro wouldn’t be able to get Tregear to say anything at all so they’d linger in silence, in each other, but when those days of quiet came that was when Taro was allowed to hold his mate, when he wouldn’t shy away from his reaching embrace._

_Reclining in the bed, Taro held Tregear against his chest. His weight and warmth ever a comfort, ever a reminder that he was there. Tregear had just completed a cycle cleansing and rested heavily against Taro, usually he kept to himself on days like that but today he proved more talkative. So Taro listened._

_The topics on Tregear's heart were dark and controversial but Taro never shied away from them. He listened to all his wiles and tried to understand them and why they affected Tregear so much._

_Since childhood, Taro knew that the blue ultra's mind was a vast and curious place. It was easy to get lost in and Taro remembered teasing him when Tregear would, but now it wasn't so much a mental oasis as it was a prison with enclosing gilded bars. It limited Tregear's very spirit and left him in malevolent moods most unbecoming of an ultra. Luckily, Taro was still just strong enough to overcome it for him._

_As much as Taro listened to Tregear's wild rambles, he in turn listened to Taro and his pure expressions. He spoke about the light and about promising new students he was training. He mentioned Ace's late missions as well as the scientific division's expressed longing for Tregear to return. That last topic seemed to entice him and in retaliation he commented about current advancements that he found lacking without his oversight. It all made Taro laugh and when Tregear prodded for his humorous reason, Taro laughed some more._

_Taro's favorite visit was when Tregear asked about their son. His parents had been watching him since the ordeal and would further still. Having Tregear finally interested in Taiga meant the world to Taro. It meant that that maternal longing hadn't vanished completely._

_It had been some time, but Taro could see his Tregear returning. Blue eyes were brightening, sluggish movement strengthening, and resistance to Taro's embraces was lessening and lessening. Now Tregear was the one holding Taro, running his hands along his arms and over his chest. When he leaned forward and planted two slow kisses along his neck, Taro rose his head and looked at him curiously._

_Laying there with Tregear's weight firmly atop him was a delight, especially in the blue ultra's current calm of mind, but feeling the way fingers slid over his gorget, teasing the definition of his muscles just below had Taro shifting where he lay._

_"Tregear." The name passed out like a whispered prayer, not exactly what Taro intended but the way he kissed his neck completely nullified any sense of demanding tone._

_Tregear hummed, his lips vibrating against Taro's strong neck. The effect rattled the red ultra's insides and made him weak at the knees, especially when he felt his mate begin to subtly roll his hips into him._

_"No, stop." Taro regretted the resistance he was able to maintain and as he leaned up into a sit Tregear's weight fell further into his lap._

_Blue eyes looked up at him. They were vibrant again after so long that it was a blessing just to look into them. It was there Taro saw Tregear's uncensored desire and when he placed both hands against his cheeks, cradling his soft silver face, Tregear reached up to hold those hands. His look of anticipation didn't change._

_"You're meant to be resting, recovering. I'm not here to tire you more than you already are." Taro smiled, flattered and endeared. He leaned forward and laid his forehead against his mate's and there they mingled the glow of their eyes._

_That shared moment quieted their souls for a little while, and there, with Tregear so close, just a breath apart and their surroundings unfocused, Taro felt as if they were far away from the Silver Cross, in the comfort of their own home, in the comfort of each other. It felt wonderful . . . just like the touch of Tregear's hands running down his arms._

_"You need to focus on yourself." Taro sighed, shaking his head as he watched Tregear move his hands and purposely touch him with intentional caresses. "Focus on feeling better."_

_"I am." Tregear leaned down, rubbing his face against Taro's neck, teasing him with another gentle kiss. "I'm thinking that I'll feel much better with you inside me." His wandering hands slid between Taro's thighs and enticed the red ultra to remember restrained passions. He wanted Tregear just as much as he wanted him, but most importantly he wanted complete resonance between body, soul, and mind._

_The way Tregear rubbed Taro’s crotch withered away his resolve, especially as he succeeded in coaxing out his cock. A shudder rocked through his body when Tregear took his shaft into his hands. Their eyes locked even as Taro tried to remain focused. Tregear still questioned, that much he could see, but by the squeeze of his hand he further acknowledged his arousal._

_Those shifting lights in Tregear's eyes made it hard to discern the condition of his fragile mind and his bolder caresses made it harder still to keep that sensitivity to possible fractures. Not when Tregear had Taro’s cock in hand._

_Forsaking restraint, Taro melted into Tregear's affections and eagerly returned his own._

_It was a good thing the nurses learned to leave the two in privacy during Taro's daily visits or else they'd grow very uncomfortable by the couple's shameless fondling and purposeful groping. Taro relished in the way Tregear's legs wound around his hips, strong and secure, elating him with returned strength. Even the way he grasped him, hands running down his tender fin had Taro enthused and more assured in his mate's recovery. And when Taro kissed him, smothered him with lips and tongue, he tasted no ailment. So in that moment, Taro saw no reason not to make love to Tregear._

_“Ooh . . .” Tregear’s lips parted against Taro’s mouth, moaning at the way the red ultra rocked his hips into his. His firmness rubbed against every sensitive junction and meeting thrusts collided in excitement. That moan shook Taro’s body, reverberating down to his very core. He hummed a moan back in response._

_Bright blue eyes looked at him while their hips danced with one another. Their light flickered from waves of pleasure that sung through each nerve, synchronizing with Taro’s own euphoria. The delight inside those irises spurred Taro to continue but when that aura cleared just enough for him to see a familiar affection, Taro’s heart was swallowed with emotion and he couldn’t help the way his arms tightened around Tregear nor the way his mouth sought forever kisses._

_Tregear leaned into every one, his tongue reaching out to caress Taro’s descent. Kissing him again, so tenderly, so deeply, Taro didn’t want to stop. And he didn’t. When he could kiss his lips no more he kissed his cheeks, when he could kiss his cheeks no more he kissed his jaw, when he could kiss his jaw no more he moved to his neck and his chest and his abdomen and his—_

_“T-Taro!” Tregear’s body arched into Taro’s touches. The way his hot hands ran down his body had him shuddering, especially as lips and tongue moved over his skin and lathered and nipped and sucked. “Oh!”_

_Mouthing against Tregear’s legs had the blue ultra utterly trembling, but when Taro ran his tongue down his crotch and flicked along the edges of his concealment flap it didn’t take a moment later for Tregear’s cock to slide out of the sleeve and beg for attention. Bright eyes were on him as Taro took the length into his mouth and as it throbbed along his throat, Tregear quaked beneath him._

_Bent like a bow, Tregear kneaded his head back into the mattress, his hands twisting in the sheets while his legs strained to spread. Taro moved over him so simply but perfectly. He knew when to swallow and when to suckle and the way his hot hands rubbed his thighs brought Tregear further to that first orgasm. Breathing hitched, he shivered with aggravated tension as Taro pull away._

_His eyes watched as Taro dipped himself further and ran his mouth along his core. His tongue followed the mounting moisture until the warm muscle wiggled its way into Tregear. The taste of him electrified Taro’s senses and the leisure thrusts became demanding, lips rubbing and teeth nipped the most sensitive of flesh to bring Tregear close to that shuddering end._

_Shaking blue hands reached down, one wrapped around a horn and the other against the crest of Taro’s helm. Tregear was pulling him closer, rolling his hips against him to chase that climbing pleasure. His body opened up, clutching Taro’s tongue and fluttering against his lips as the blue ultra cried out in ecstasy. When he peaked his release sputtered out of his cock, lathering his abdomen in a soft golden spray. The ejaculation coated the side of Taro’s face as well but the red ultra didn’t mind, especially as Tregear’s pulsing core expulsed sweet juices into his mouth._

_Tense muscles gave up their fight and Tregear relaxed into the bed. His hips softly jutted, riding out the remainder of his bliss while Taro remained between, granting him the pleasure of his mouth to prolong the moment for as long as he could. Even still, Tregear hadn’t let go of Taro. Hands continued to grasp, to pull while the faltering tension threatened to return._

_“Hhhh, Taro, mmm, Taro, inside, I want, I need, inside, I need you inside me, please, please.”_

_Feeling Tregear’s muscles flutter and clench around his retreating tongue had Taro’s body reacting. He was hard, furiously needing to find frictional relief other than through humping the mattress underneath. When he pulled away and looked at Tregear, those eyes of his approved enough._

_Two pairs of arms reached out and as soon as contact was made hands clutched and pulled. Their chests collided, crystals clinking while mouths melded together to bite and taste and inhale. Taro entered him eagerly, sinking into velvety wet depths he’s long missed._

_It only took two thrusts to bottom out and as soon as their bodies unified in the most deeply intimate way, Tregear pulled his mouth back to groan out his pleasure. His arms were tight around Taro’s neck, shifting hands until he was holding his face. He leaned forward and kissed every inch, mouthing at the mess along his chin and cheek. Suckling against his skin until he was completely cleaned. Taro chased those fluttering lips and when he found them they didn’t put up much of a struggle and instantly submitted to his pressure._

_Taro’s movements were slow but penetrating. He’d pull back almost to the point of slipping out entirely and when that anxiety forced Tregear to tighten his muscles so to prevent that, Taro would only roll back with firm assertiveness and promise. That rhythm eventually lulled them into a quiet dance. Gasps were passed between lips and flickering eyes sparkled in the other’s gaze._

_Forehead to forehead, they chased their needs together. Taro relished in Tregear’s soft body, while the blue ultra took comfort in winding his arms around his solid torso. Previous denial was reprimanded with sinking thrusts and arching bodies. When Taro orgasmed he sighed against Tregear while his mate clung so tightly, both in the embrace of his arms and core._

_“Taro, ohh.” Tregear’s body settled beneath Taro. He laid there, hips bucking as he drank in all Taro had given him. His pulsing core coaxed Taro into final bliss and he couldn’t find a reason to let go, so he didn’t._

_Shifting, Taro situated the both of them into a gentle embrace. He pulled Tregear against his chest and laid his head against his neck, breathing him in, relishing the warmth of his body pressed so close to his._

_"I miss this, I miss_ you _.” Taro sighed, the once heightened passion now fading into rising disdain. “It’s not right, leaving you here. Every time I walk out of this place I just want to turn around and burn it down so that I can have an excuse to take you out of here, to take you home. Home, Tregear, back to the place we built together, back to Taiga, to our bed where we can make love and not feel so damn out of place. That’s where I want us to be, that’s where I want to hold you."_

_“You’re holding me now, aren’t you? Isn’t that enough?" Tregear’s fingers tightened around Taro’s encircled arms. He remained still for a moment before he shifted, turning himself around so that his gentle face was looking at the red ultra. “It’s enough for me, you’re enough for me.” Tregear’s hand ran down Taro’s face, fingers caressing and simply feeling. “You’re my home, Taro, my light. This room, this planet, it’s still too dark without you. I don’t care where I am or what my condition is because I know that as long as you’re beside me I’ll never want for anything. Please, stay with me.”_

_Reaching up, Taro took Tregear’s hand in his and brought it to his mouth. Lips moved over fingers, over knuckles and his eyes phased into cerulean orbs. “Always.”_

_Forehead to forehead, chest to chest, crystal to crystal was how they wandered off into sleep. Taro followed Tregear’s dreams and in them they held each other just as tightly. But that place of tranquility shattered when they were both pulled out of rest to the reality of_ it _._

_There hadn't been any warning when the scourge burst through the galaxy and infected multitudes of lifeforms, most notably kaiju. The effects of the plague made these beasts momentarily resistant to any photonic damage, so the enraged monsters moved and swept over outposts in mass, destroying countless ultra lives and territory. From the speed in which it appeared and wreaked it wasn't long before that danger approached the very home world of the ultras._

_All able-bodied ultras were called to arms. It was this alarm that woke Taro up instantaneously._

_Lurching forward, Taro's sudden rustle stirred Tregear who looked most displeasured that his mate had let him go._

_"Taro?"_

_Though Tregear was calling him, Taro could only focus on the message he received. Straight from his father. The information was paraphrased enough to understand the severity of the threat, but as soon as Taro took a look outside to see the thousands of ultra warriors taking to the sky that was all it took for him to throw himself wholeheartedly into that mission._

_Taro nearly burst out of the room without another word. It was the slight pang inside his heart that managed to take hold of his frantic state for just long enough to remember the other ultra. When he turned back he saw Tregear seated upright. He looked frightened, but Taro knew that it wasn’t because of the sudden threat to their planet._

_“You’re leaving.” It was more of a statement than a question, but still there was a plea in Tregear’s gaze, and as Taro approached him he didn’t hesitate to reach out and take hold of him._

_“Something’s coming,” Taro said, holding Tregear as tightly as he was clinging to him. “It’s coming to destroy and I can’t let that happen. I won’t.”_

_“You said you’d stay.” Tregear’s hands were trembling, even as Taro took them into his own._

_“I’m not leaving you,” Taro assured. He rose those shaking hands and kissed them. As he looked at Tregear he wished he had the time to chase away every insecurity he saw, but there just wasn’t any to spare. “I promised I’d protect you from the darkness. It’s coming, Tregear, and I won’t let it have you.”_

_Shaking his head, Tregear leaned himself against Taro. “But what if it takes you instead? What’ll I do if that happens? If—”_

_“I won’t let that happen.” Taro smiled to encourage, but Tregear never let him see his. So he leaned forward and departed the blue ultra with an impassioned kiss. “Wait for me. I will come back to you.”_

_All Taro wanted to do was stay there. He painstakingly pried Tregear’s hands off him and left to join the fight. He told himself that the safety of his people and the planet meant the safety of his mate and son. That he fought to protect them specifically. In his heart he did, but even that strong organ shattered after victory was secured and the return to the hospital revealed Tregear was missing._

_For a long time Taro didn’t want to believe that Tregear had just left. So he searched for him for centuries. Traversed galaxies and nebulas both new and old. It was only when his own son began looking at him like he was a stranger during his occasional visits to the Land of Light that he realized he couldn’t persist in off world searches anymore._

_Taro rooted himself and took on the challenge of raising Taiga alone. Someday, though, when Taiga was ready to handle himself in the Ultra Guard then Taro would return back to the void of space and continue his search. His heart simply wouldn’t allow him to give up. Not when it constantly blamed itself._

“Mm, mu mmuh.” Taro looked at the child in his arms. His eyes were glowing brighter. His little hands reached out, patting Taro’s chest for further attention.

“Shh, quiet. Your mother’s still resting.” Taro smiled as he took himself and the child out of the nursery. He went into the lounge room downstairs to give Mebius enough space and quiet to continue his sleep. There he kept the child entertained long enough for the two of them to turn at the knock on the front door.

With a sigh, Taro looked down at Saphiro who was seated on a blanket surrounded by toys. He was currently suckling one with eyes turned toward the rattling door. Seeing as he was sustained, the red ultra moved toward the entrance to answer the visitor.

To his surprise it was Taiga.

“Dad?” Taiga looked just as confused as Taro. “I didn’t know you dropped by for a visit.”

Taro chuckled, stepping aside to let him in. “And I didn’t know you were planning one. Just keep it down, Mebius is resting.” He nodded toward where Saphiro was seated watching the two of them while he mouthed at the round toy in his hands. “I’m watching him for a little while.”

“Will do, pops.” Taiga grinned, holding a finger to his lips but crept closer toward the baby. “I came over to see Saphiro. A good uncle always visits at least once a day, isn’t that right, Saphiro?” He reached down and picked the child up who squealed and wiggled his arms and legs. The two proceeded into the wiles of playtime which inevitably left them both exhausted hours later.

Seated along the couch, Taro smiled at the way Taiga lay splayed along the blanket and mess of toys. Saphiro was rolled along his chest, just as much unconscious as the adolescent was. It was just like that that Hikari came into.

With arms full of tablets and rolls of blueprints, Hikari marched into the home with a wearisome sigh. He paused in the foyer once his eyes caught sight of Taro ahead in the lounge room. “Taro?” When he unloaded himself of his take-home projects, the blue ultra moved closer. His curious features softened as soon as the image of Taiga and his son lain across the floor unraveled before him. “Well now, looks like the two of you’ve been busy.”

Taro nodded, offering the scientist a pleasant smile in greeting. “Taiga tried his hardest, but Saphiro’s a tough combatant.”

“A draw then.” Hikari snickered before an exhausted sigh cycled through him. “Thank you.”

Taro nodded. “Anytime. I know how hard it is monitor them, especially at this age.”

“Yes, but you raised Taiga singlehandedly. I’m lucky to have Mebius.” Pausing, Hikari scanned the room for a moment. “Where is he?”

“Upstairs in the nursery,” Taro answered. “Passed out.”

Hikari snickered again. “That sounds wonderful. Maybe I should join him.”

“Why don’t you?” Taro glanced at the pile of work Hikari had dumped along the counter tables. An eyesore in an otherwise lavish home. “Taiga doesn’t look like he’ll be up anytime soon, so I’ll be here a while.”

Hikari paused at Taro’s offer. He shifted, looked as if he had more to say, instead he surrendered to his weariness. His smile was all of the thanks he was too tired to speak of right then. Instead, he said, “You’ve been good to us, Taro. It’s really only the beginning and already I’m in a deep debt to you. By the time Saphiro’s three centuries I doubt I’ll have any hope of repaying you.”

“You can start by going up there and holding Mebius for me. He’s the one who needs you most.”

Hikari sighed again, his hands on his hips while his face fell. “I’ve been meaning to wean myself from the office so that I could be here more for the both of them.” Shaking his head, Hikari’s weary eyes flickered. “Maybe I’ll finally see that through soon.” After a roll of his shoulders, Hikari maneuvered around the furniture to lean down and plant a kiss on his son’s head. The little one stirred but didn’t wake, which was fine with his father.

Taro watched Hikari depart upstairs as much as he watched the two young ultras slumber further along the floor. The quiet was pleasant as it was peaceful. Even as it gave the red ultra the unfortunate opportunity to recollect past grievances, there was still inspiration of future aspirations. That to retire soon after Taiga’s induction into the Ultra Guard, that to travel the universes, that to find Tregear and to bring him back home so that the land could remember him and that his son, their son, could know his mother.

But right then there was content. And that was hard to come by in Taro’s jostled spirit. So he remained there in it and bided his time for the moments ahead when he’d need to shield his heart the most.


End file.
